Here are a few little tidbits about officials, officiating, communication and common sense:

• As an official, when a team is getting the breaks beat off of them, it’s good judgement to let the coach whine a bit.  There are even times when he/she should be able to get away with a little more than usual.  It ain’t personal.  We should get that!
• I expect that a coach will lobby for his players.  There is a way to keep an open dialogue and lobby for an official to see things the coaches way in certain situations.  On the other hand, when a coach is constantly debating every play, (Foul!  Traveling!  Moving Screen) that coach will be tuned out.   At some point the coach may have a legitimate point, but by the time that happens their credibility is spent.
• Good officials respect dialogue, but we don’t respect intellectual dishonesty.  This too will get a coach tuned out.  Don’t argue against what you know to be obviously true.
• Officials who are too prideful to admit a mistake suck!  Other officials hate working with them as much as coaches hate seeing them on the floor of their games.
• Officials who don’t listen to other officials who try to help them suck!  And their performance will will never improve.
• Like players and coaches, no matter how hard we try,  there are nights when we just don’t have it. We are going to suck, and we know when we sucked!

• Not that we are there for the compliments, but a coach that can compliment a good call or acknowledge a diligent official working hard at his craft is wise.
• The less a coach complains, the more credibility he/she has when they do express displeasure.
• Officials who love the craft of officiating and doing a great job on behalf of the players rock!
• Coaches and administrators whose motivation are educating their players through team building sports and competition rock!
• Sometimes conflict is good, healthy and necessary.
• Some officials hold grudges.
• Some coaches hold grudges.
• Respect should be a given.  Only earned respect is maintained.
• There are coaches and officials who are doing what they do for all the wrong reasons.
• Officials, coaches and players are human.
• There is way more to being an excellent official than some officials and most fans would ever understand.
• I learn something new and see things I’ve never seen before often while officiating.
• Officiating and coaching are both fun and honorable jobs to have.